six-decade counter / scaler unit
Date1960-1965
Inventory Number2003-1-0301
ClassificationCounter
Subject
Manufacturer
Radiation Instrument Development Laboratory
founded c. 1953
Manufacturer
Texas Instruments Incorporated
founded 1930
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions22 x 20.3 x 27.5 cm (8 11/16 x 8 x 10 13/16 in.)
Material
DescriptionThe front panel shows six rows of numbers (0-9), which are illuminated by diodes or crystals. Some of these numbers have pieces of tape to hide them (perhaps to notify they were no longer functioning). Inside, the circuit boards are made with Texas Instruments' transistors. Several serial numbers are found on the casing, the transistors, the circuit boards, etc.
The connector in the back is not a standard, as these type of module connectors later came to be. The whole instrument was mounted in some kind of a bin, side-by-side with other similar modules.
The connector in the back is not a standard, as these type of module connectors later came to be. The whole instrument was mounted in some kind of a bin, side-by-side with other similar modules.
In Collection(s)
Signedon front: RIDL / MODEL 49-28
on back plaque: Radiation Instrument / Development Laboratory / 4501 West North Ave., / Melrose Park, Ill., U.S.A. / Division of Nuclear - Chicago Corporation
Inscribedon plaque: Radiation Instrument / Development Laboratory / 4501 West North Ave., / Melrose Park, Ill., U.S.A. / Division of Nuclear - Chicago Corporation
FunctionWhen a high energy beam of particles collided with a target, it triggered thousands of events and scattered particles and photons. These were picked up by detectors, which in turn sent electrical signals (or pulses) to a wide assortment of logical devices for analysis. Logic instruments included count-registers (or scalers), which counted up the events; pulse height analyzers (PHA), which selected and sorted pulses that fit within certain sized windows; and coincidence counters, which recorded simultaneous events.
This device was used to count the number of electronic events happening during a physics experiment. Such a counter generally increments an internal register each time a voltage pulse is detected at the counter input, which is then displayed as a numerical value.
This device was used to count the number of electronic events happening during a physics experiment. Such a counter generally increments an internal register each time a voltage pulse is detected at the counter input, which is then displayed as a numerical value.
Honeywell Corporation, Computer Control Division
Date: circa 1964
Accessories: None
Object number: 1994-1-0006
Edgerton, Germeshausen & Grier
Date: 1965-1970
Object number: 2003-1-0300
Texas Instruments Incorporated
Date: circa 1985
Object number: 1998-1-0576
Edgerton, Germeshausen & Grier
Date: circa 1967
Object number: 2003-1-0289
Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory
Date: 1947-2002
Object number: 2003-1-0291